No. 7 Texas Opens Its Season Monday Against Chicago State at the Moody Center - Without Mikey Lewis, and With John Clark Close
The Longhorns start the year ranked seventh and short-handed: Lewis is out until December with a fractured foot, and Clark's broken hand is a week-to-week question.
The No. 7 Texas Longhorns open the 2026-27 basketball season on Monday evening against the Chicago State Cougars at the Moody Center in Austin, and they will do it short-handed, Burnt Orange Nation reported. Junior guard Mikey Lewis, a Saint Mary's transfer, fractured the fifth metatarsal in his right foot during practice in late September and underwent surgery that week.
Head coach Sean Miller, speaking Sunday during a media availability, said the timetable he established for Lewis remains in place: the guard is expected back in mid to late December, the report said. Lewis was a full-time starter at Saint Mary's as a sophomore, averaging 13.9 points per game.
The second injury question is closer to resolving. Sophomore forward John Clark, who is 6-foot-9 and 245 pounds, broke a bone in his hand three weeks ago - the injury that kept him out of last week's exhibition game against St. John's - but could receive clearance to return this week, Burnt Orange Nation reported. The Houston product is competing for minutes as the fourth frontcourt player behind junior center Matas Vokietaitis, junior forward David Punch and freshman forward Marcus Spears Jr.
